Planning the 7th Annual Jeep-CJ Trail Ride
BusaDave9
Always Off-Roading Jeeper
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Once again it's time to start planning for the next Colorado Jeep-CJ trail ride. This will be the 7th year in a row and this year we will be using Ouray as our base.
The Colorado Trail Ride will be from August 14th through the 18th.
During this thread we may decide on specifics or change plans. Those posts may get lost in the middle of the thread so Please check back here to this first post in this thread for any updates.
Where to stay? There are several motels in Ouray. Us "regulars" are staying at Comfort Inn, 191 5th Ave., Ouray CO.
The motels in this tiny town fill up fast. If you are thinking that maybe, just maybe you might be coming I strongly recommend you make reservations NOW. Make your reservations even if you are not sure you will make it. Later if it looks like you wont be able to make it, post here that you will be cancelling your reservations. Maybe someone else would like to take your room. I used to make extra reservations for late comers but I now think it's better for anyone that thinks they just (maybe) might make it to make their own reservations and cancel if they can't come.
The only motel I would not recommend is Rivers Edge Motel. I used to stay there until they screwed us over. When they were overbooked they lied about it and kicked several of us out. I will NEVER stay there again.
As our trail ride grows in membership it's important to keep things organized.
Communication: Cell phones are useless when we leave town. Once we are on the trail we'll use CB radios to communicate. Although they are recommended they are not mandatory. If you do not have a CB stay in the middle of the pack. The lead and the tail end must have a CB. People in the middle should repeat messages so they are heard.
We use CB channel 16. I like to make this know before any trail ride. One year we headed out and became separated because I didn't inform everyone of the CB channel. One member didn't see me pull over and he drove all the way to Silverton looking for me. I didn't meet up with him until the end of the day at Ouray. It's also good to know where the trail head is in case you get separated.
A typical day of trail rides: We eat breakfast at 8 am. Some motels have some sort of breakfast otherwise join us at a restaurant to be decided the night before.
We leave town at 9 am. Make sure your tank is already filled the night before.
Every day seems to be sunny and warm in town. As we climb into the mountains it gets cool. Bring layers and a rain jacket.
We eat lunch on the trail. It's nice to bring a small cooler to carry a sandwich and water. If you don't have a small cooler several members often have a cooler larger than necessary. They are always willing to keep your lunch fresh.
Even though every morning seems to be sunny it always seems to rain most afternoons in late summer in the mountains. This is why we like to leave on the trail ride early.
When we get back to town, everyone wants to unwind but please refuel before nightfall. This helps to make sure we are all ready to leave at the same time in the morning.
The plan for trail rides
Each day we will split into 2 groups to go over 2 separate trails.
I have 9 trail rides planned out. Pick a trail ride for each day in advance, maybe the night before but preferably pick the whole week of trail rides when you arrive in Ouray. You can change your mind.
I will lead one group but I'll need at least 2 volunteers to lead the other groups. Please let me know if you are interested.
Here's the trail rides:
Trip 1: Engineer Pass trail starting from highway 550 all the way to the top of Engineer Pass. We've never gone any further than the lookout (also known as OH Point!). We might continue on. Next we will head back to Animas Forks Ghost Town and on to Silverton.
Warning: Lower Engineer Pass Trail (also known as Mineral Creek trail) has some rock crawling.
Trip 2: Corkscrew Pass. Then we will go over Hurricane pass and California Pass then down to Animas Forks Ghost town. From there we'll go up over Cinnamon Pass to American Basin. The group will then head to Silverton and take the highway back to Ouray.
Trip 3: Minnie Gulch and Maggie Gulch. We'll drive to Silverton and head north to Minnie and later to Maggie Gulch.
Trip 4: We'll take the infamous Black Bear Pass (trust me, it's not as bad as its reputation). We'll head into Telluride and come back over Imogene Pass.
Warning: Black Bear pass may be intimidating for those with a fear of heights.
Trip 5: Beartown site. We'll take the highway to Silverton and then go over Stony Pass, cross the Rio Grande River. We will pass by Beartown site and continue to Kite Lake. Then back the way we came.
Trip 6: Poughkeepsie Gulch.
Warning: This is a more difficult trail. You need lockers to take your jeep up "The Wall". If you don't feel you are up to it you can watch the others and then take the bypass.
Trip 7: Brooklyn Trail and Clear Lake. From Red Mountain Pass we'll turn off highway 55 and climb US Basin 4x4 Road. If you thought highway 550 was high we'll be far above 550 looking down at cars that look tiny. US Basin road turns into Brooklyn trail as it descends. We'll get back on 550 for a few miles before we get on gravel and then onto Mineral road and then up the 4x4 trail to Clear Lake.
Trip 8: Velocity Basin. We'll take the highway to Silverton then head NW to the Gladstone Mining complex and we'll use Corkscrew Pass to get back "home" to Ouray.
Trip 9: Ophir Pass. We'll leave Ouray and go over Imogene Pass the opposite direction we go during trip #4. In Telluride we'll get on the highway for a few miles and then go over Ophir Pass.
Monday the choices are trips 1 or 3
Tuesday the choices are trips 4 or 7
Wednesday the choices are trips 5 or 1
Thursday the choices are trips 6 or 2
Friday the choices are trips 3 or 9
To see what our trail rides are like check out these links to our previous trail rides:
6th Jeep-CJ Trail Ride
5th Jeep-CJ Trail Ride
4th Jeep-CJ Trail Ride
3rd Jeep CJ Trail Ride
2nd Jeep-CJ Trail Ride
1st Jeep-CJ Trail Ride
Also here's some pictures of what to expect:
The Colorado Trail Ride will be from August 14th through the 18th.
During this thread we may decide on specifics or change plans. Those posts may get lost in the middle of the thread so Please check back here to this first post in this thread for any updates.
Where to stay? There are several motels in Ouray. Us "regulars" are staying at Comfort Inn, 191 5th Ave., Ouray CO.
The motels in this tiny town fill up fast. If you are thinking that maybe, just maybe you might be coming I strongly recommend you make reservations NOW. Make your reservations even if you are not sure you will make it. Later if it looks like you wont be able to make it, post here that you will be cancelling your reservations. Maybe someone else would like to take your room. I used to make extra reservations for late comers but I now think it's better for anyone that thinks they just (maybe) might make it to make their own reservations and cancel if they can't come.
The only motel I would not recommend is Rivers Edge Motel. I used to stay there until they screwed us over. When they were overbooked they lied about it and kicked several of us out. I will NEVER stay there again.
As our trail ride grows in membership it's important to keep things organized.
Communication: Cell phones are useless when we leave town. Once we are on the trail we'll use CB radios to communicate. Although they are recommended they are not mandatory. If you do not have a CB stay in the middle of the pack. The lead and the tail end must have a CB. People in the middle should repeat messages so they are heard.
We use CB channel 16. I like to make this know before any trail ride. One year we headed out and became separated because I didn't inform everyone of the CB channel. One member didn't see me pull over and he drove all the way to Silverton looking for me. I didn't meet up with him until the end of the day at Ouray. It's also good to know where the trail head is in case you get separated.
A typical day of trail rides: We eat breakfast at 8 am. Some motels have some sort of breakfast otherwise join us at a restaurant to be decided the night before.
We leave town at 9 am. Make sure your tank is already filled the night before.
Every day seems to be sunny and warm in town. As we climb into the mountains it gets cool. Bring layers and a rain jacket.
We eat lunch on the trail. It's nice to bring a small cooler to carry a sandwich and water. If you don't have a small cooler several members often have a cooler larger than necessary. They are always willing to keep your lunch fresh.
Even though every morning seems to be sunny it always seems to rain most afternoons in late summer in the mountains. This is why we like to leave on the trail ride early.
When we get back to town, everyone wants to unwind but please refuel before nightfall. This helps to make sure we are all ready to leave at the same time in the morning.
The plan for trail rides
Each day we will split into 2 groups to go over 2 separate trails.
I have 9 trail rides planned out. Pick a trail ride for each day in advance, maybe the night before but preferably pick the whole week of trail rides when you arrive in Ouray. You can change your mind.
I will lead one group but I'll need at least 2 volunteers to lead the other groups. Please let me know if you are interested.
Here's the trail rides:
Trip 1: Engineer Pass trail starting from highway 550 all the way to the top of Engineer Pass. We've never gone any further than the lookout (also known as OH Point!). We might continue on. Next we will head back to Animas Forks Ghost Town and on to Silverton.
Warning: Lower Engineer Pass Trail (also known as Mineral Creek trail) has some rock crawling.
Trip 2: Corkscrew Pass. Then we will go over Hurricane pass and California Pass then down to Animas Forks Ghost town. From there we'll go up over Cinnamon Pass to American Basin. The group will then head to Silverton and take the highway back to Ouray.
Trip 3: Minnie Gulch and Maggie Gulch. We'll drive to Silverton and head north to Minnie and later to Maggie Gulch.
Trip 4: We'll take the infamous Black Bear Pass (trust me, it's not as bad as its reputation). We'll head into Telluride and come back over Imogene Pass.
Warning: Black Bear pass may be intimidating for those with a fear of heights.
Trip 5: Beartown site. We'll take the highway to Silverton and then go over Stony Pass, cross the Rio Grande River. We will pass by Beartown site and continue to Kite Lake. Then back the way we came.
Trip 6: Poughkeepsie Gulch.
Warning: This is a more difficult trail. You need lockers to take your jeep up "The Wall". If you don't feel you are up to it you can watch the others and then take the bypass.
Trip 7: Brooklyn Trail and Clear Lake. From Red Mountain Pass we'll turn off highway 55 and climb US Basin 4x4 Road. If you thought highway 550 was high we'll be far above 550 looking down at cars that look tiny. US Basin road turns into Brooklyn trail as it descends. We'll get back on 550 for a few miles before we get on gravel and then onto Mineral road and then up the 4x4 trail to Clear Lake.
Trip 8: Velocity Basin. We'll take the highway to Silverton then head NW to the Gladstone Mining complex and we'll use Corkscrew Pass to get back "home" to Ouray.
Trip 9: Ophir Pass. We'll leave Ouray and go over Imogene Pass the opposite direction we go during trip #4. In Telluride we'll get on the highway for a few miles and then go over Ophir Pass.
Monday the choices are trips 1 or 3
Tuesday the choices are trips 4 or 7
Wednesday the choices are trips 5 or 1
Thursday the choices are trips 6 or 2
Friday the choices are trips 3 or 9
To see what our trail rides are like check out these links to our previous trail rides:
6th Jeep-CJ Trail Ride
5th Jeep-CJ Trail Ride
4th Jeep-CJ Trail Ride
3rd Jeep CJ Trail Ride
2nd Jeep-CJ Trail Ride
1st Jeep-CJ Trail Ride
Also here's some pictures of what to expect:
Black Bear Pass
View from Black Bear Pass
Descending Black Bear Pass
Black Bear Pass (yellow is narrow one way)
Telluride. Yellow is the way back "home" over Imogene Pass.
Dinner time after the trails
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